Review: Blind Date with the Hero - Heroes of Freedom Ridge #18

Blind Date with the Hero book cover on blue background

It feels so bittersweet now that I'm finished the Heroes of Freedom Ridge series! When I first started, I wasn't sure if I could make it through all 18 books, but what a pleasure and delight it has been to get to know the town and its stories so thoroughly. Reading Blind Date with the Hero was both exciting and wistful; however, I'm thankful I got to travel to Freedom, Colorado this past year and get to know so many great authors!

Book Synopsis

She’s on a series of blind dates, but all she can think about is her Secret Santa…

Alexis would rather skinny dip in a snowbank than make good on the bet she lost. Ten blind dates? As though the holidays weren’t hard enough, now she has to sit at awkward Christmas parties with men who were more likely to be intimidated by her military experience than infatuated. At least her Secret Santa was keeping things interesting.

K9 Specialist Jared Keen couldn’t believe his luck when he got his best friend’s name in the Secret Santa pool. After years of wishing he could tell Alexis how he felt, this is his chance to show her instead. At the same time, he just needs to convince her that their friendship can handle the pressure outside the friendzone, and pray that one of her ridiculous blind dates doesn’t derail his plan.

Source: Amazon

Book Thoughts

This is the last book of the Heroes of Freedom Ridge series, and what an ending it is! This book delivers all of the warm and fuzzy feelings associated with romance and reminds readers why they fell in love with the people of Freedom, Colorado in the first place. Seeing so many characters mentioned is a thoughtful nod to earlier books, and the story itself is sheer bliss. As I was reading about Jared and Alexis, I couldn't help but root for things to work out for them. This is not only a charming story with secret admirer vibes throughout, but it dives deeper into the themes of identity, courage, and acceptance.

This book is the perfect conclusion to such a tremendous series, and Tara Grace Ericson hits it out of the park with this story. The number of swoony moments is equally matched by the poignant truths of God's love and care. I love that the characters work through tough issues together and that Jared demonstrates patience, grace, and persistence as he supports Alexis. Blind Date with the Hero will leave you with a smile on your face and butterflies in your stomach for all the best reasons.

Book Summary

Format of book: 📱
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Recommendation: 👍

Comments

Double Takes

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Review: It Came Upon a Midnight Clear - Christmas in Garland Collection #3

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Labouring Away

On this Labour Day, I've been wondering if and when reading begins to feel like work. For the most part, reading is a very enjoyable activity for me, which is why I engage in it as often as I can. There are times, however, when I've noticed that reading can be a bit of a slog. Though I try not to dwell on it, this has been a helpful signal to me to be better about not completing books that fall into this category. I don't have an extensive list, but here are a few things that can make reading a book begin to feel laboursome: Too many typos . I feel like this is universal amongst all readers, so I'll leave it at that. Too many complications . When so many characters get introduced or the plot lines are quite convoluted, this can make reading less pleasurable. A lot of pop culture references . A few well-placed ones that enhance the story or make it relatable to the audience is fine; however, when I'm reading a book and it starts to feel like a tabloid magazine where